The sympathetic nervous system modulates antibody response to thymus-independent antigens.
Sympathetic nerve endings were destroyed with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and the response to thymus-dependent and -independent antigens compared in 6-OHDA-treated and control mice. A significantly enhanced plaque-forming cell response to 2 thymus-independent antigens was observed in the 6-OHDA-treated mice; in contrast the response to a thymus-dependent antigen was normal. The findings point to selective modulation of antibody response by the sympathetic nervous system.
D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D000941:Antigens; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000276:immunology; D016627:Oxidopamine; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D000941:Antigens; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D016627:Oxidopamine